𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 - this week: Stones - Lukas Ki

Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly - an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.

𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 - 𝙇𝙪𝙠𝙖𝙨 𝙆𝙞

Charles scatters cushions.

The scatter cushion. Why? I mean why do we call it this? I have nothing whatsoever against the humble cushion. But why must it be called a scatter cushion? I couldn’t suggest it were to differentiate between one to “scatter” (the very image!!) and one on which to sit. We have come a long way in chair design, and now have padded seats, thus, a cushion is no longer required for to soothe the aching bones of an anorexic bot like my very own. But okay, say I surrender to the term… “What were you up to today?” - “Oh, you know. Scattering cushions. The usual”. It’s just quite an absurd picture, to picture. Place cushions. Plonk cushions. Or even just plain old Cushions!! I mean, we don’t say a ‘sit chair’, a ‘wear jacket’ or a ‘cut knife’, do we? I don’t, anyway. And don't get me started on the 'pan-fried' and 'oven-baked' tautologies - as if we have many other methods of frying or baking...! We do however say ‘juggling balls’. But this is to differentiate from any other kind of balls.

Speaking less of balls, I bring you an artist who just makes me curl up on the ‘sit sofa’, surrounded by previously scattered cushions, so I can chill with an icy beverage on a warm day, and bop my head with a smug smile. Lukas Ki, a relatively new astronaut from NASA - no, sorry, a relatively new artist from NAS (New Artist Spotlight, for those of little knowledge) - is my latest obsession. Truly. I have had all of his four single releases on repeat for days now. For the purpose of this review, I will scatter just one: Stones - his latest.

So here, I sit. Not only surrounded by square bags of plumped feathers, but also by safe joy. It is not long however before I get up to draw the curtains, despite the glorious sunshine outside. I assure you, I am not a vampire. I simply have the urge to dance and shimmy a little like Bowie, and a little like my father, and this could be embarrassing or even shudder-inducing to any onlookers from beyond my personal cube. Bowie is forgiven, because - Lord rest his soul - he is Bowie. My father is forgiven, because - Lord rest his limbs - he is old. I however, have no excuse.

Lukas Ki manages a sound I adore. Ultra modern, yet fond and sort of - loathe the word - retro. Eurgh. Yuk word. A word that for some reason makes me think of miniature cardboard rockets covered in tinfoil. Don’t ask me why. Lukas is punching through duvets - a soft strike! He has maturity and subtlety in beats, synths, bass, guitars, vocals, words and production. A true artist and craftsman. You don’t get the feeling that ‘trial and error’ ever occurred in the process. It is as if it came from his mind in one piece. Like Stones has always been around, but he discovered it in between a rock and a hard place - somewhere we never like to venture.

This Swede has jazz! Not impregnable-nonsense jazz, but sleek, smooth jazz in terms of chords and feel. I am not sure if any of you are familiar with Jack Conte’s musical collectives, Scary Pockets and Pomplamoose, but I feel there is something of a similarly lazy yet funky and upbeat groove here. As it happens, Pomplamoose is my mother’s latest obsession: “What were you up to today?” - “Oh, you know. Listening to Pomplamoose and scattering cushions. The usual” - retirement has its perks.

In terms of feel, it is silly to try and describe it in words, but put it this way: you will be smiling and lightly moving to the beat from beginning to end. And when it DOES end, you will want to play it again. It has that THING. But there’s more…! Not only do we have Lukas Ki’s blissfully cool sound in Stones, but something bigger is a-comin’. Yes-sir, we are the lucky ones. His debut album - The Summit - is out on June 3rd, and I simply cannot wait. Each of his four singles so far have been impeccably made and ‘gifted’ - another of those words I detest - to us with such taste, class and style, so we just know he won’t let us down. What a treat!! In the meantime, we can all have Stones rolling around in our hollow minds. Lukas Ki is here to stick.

Sticks and Stones may break my bones,

But cushions will never hurt me.

Listen to 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 on the 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 Spotify playlist HERE!

Listen to 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 on the 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 Apple Music playlist HERE!

(under his previous name - Bears Family - soon to be rectified by his distributor)

Follow 𝙇𝙪𝙠𝙖𝙨 𝙆𝙞 on Instagram HERE!

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